A quarter century of CANDES: The state of embryo technologies in companion animals, non-domestic and endangered species

Abstract

Companion animals, non-domestic and endangered species (CANDES) encompass a group of animals that do not include traditional livestock species (cattle, pigs, sheep, goats). Historically, lack of commercial interest or need resulted in a lag in the development and application of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) in CANDES. A number of factors impeded progress, including the species-specific nature of reproductive biology and difficulties accessing research material. The past 25 years have seen a growth in cell-based technologies (stem cell derivation, genome editing), offering a new horizon of possibilities to the current state-of-the-art for assisted reproduction in CANDES. This review highlights some of the challenges and successes in working with these diverse species.

Keywords

• Assisted reproduction
• Genetic management
• Conservation
• Rare breeds
• Endangered species